That's too bad. My son earned Arrow of Light last year. Now in Boy Scouts, working for Eagle.

As far as rank I started as a Cub and was in through Tenderfoot. My Boy Scout Troop was great. I really got my love for camping from them. We camped a ton! I wish I could have found another group. To bad the internet wasn't like it is today!

Thanks. Last few weeks of summer have certainly kept us busy. We resume scouts on Sept 2nd. School Sept 3rd. We're supposed to be doing a camping/whitewater rafting trip in Sept. I'm hoping we do. I could use some time outdoors..and soon.

Thanks. Last few weeks of summer have certainly kept us busy. We resume scouts on Sept 2nd. School Sept 3rd. We're supposed to be doing a camping/whitewater rafting trip in Sept. I'm hoping we do. I could use some time outdoors..and soon.

Indeed, I will be doing the BRUSCA48 challenge, and a hiking/backpacking conference in Arkansas in October. I am definitely looking forward to getting out myself!

Kim's Game is a traditional Scouting game based on the novel of the same name.

Have a tray of about 20 small objects (jackknife, match, pencil, marble, coin, ball, gum stick etc) covered with a bandana. Have the Patrol gather round it and uncover it. Give them 20 seconds to look then recover it and have them write down all they remember as individuals and then as a group. Assign points so individual scores and patrol scores can be combined and then patrols can be compared.

An advanced version of this is lining the objects up in a row and make them remember the order as well.

Hey guys are any of you canoe councilors? I have been asked by the Pack Leader if I would be willing to get certified so trying to find if ACA or Red Cross class is best.

My 6yr old became a Tiger cub this week and I'm going to help out as much as possible for these guys. I know he won't earn any badges yet but I want to help the older boys now.

Hi, Swamp how have you been?To be a councilor (I am assuming a Merit Badge Councilor) you only need an expertise and/or a working knowledge of canoeing. You should take the BSA's online course "Safety Afloat" and "Safe Swim Defense" to know the BSA's rules. Then pick up a merit badge Handbook and see what the rules are for the canoe merit badge. You can find them on here with a quick search: http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page. Also, there is a short (hour or so) class to take to learn the general rules of becoming a merit badge counselor.

Not to throw a wrench in, but watercraft rules are not the same for Cub Scouts as they are for Boy Scouts. I'd have to look them up to be sure but I only think Cub Scouts can canoe under Council sponsored events. So be careful and check the rules so that you are covered by BSA insurance etc.

Starting Readyman with my Webelos 1 den tonight. We're making first aid kits, small & compact so they won't take up much space in the backpack. We'll be using medicine bottles to hold everything. Each will hold 3 large band aids (2?3), 3 fingertip band aids, 3 regular band aids, 3 small packets of antibotic ointment, 3 small packets of hydrocortisone cream, 3 alcohol wipes, and 1pair of tweezers. Enough to care for any cuts, scrapes, splinters or thorns on a hike. Fingers crossed that it would ONLY be a cut, scrape, splinter or thorn! I can deal with those...twisted ankles or broken bones, not so much!!!

The first time I took my son camping with his wolf den, we went on a hike. Kid in front of him pulled back vine that had thorns on it & let it go. Hit my kid on the side of his face, leaving a few thorns, especially on his ear lobes. Looked like he had just gotten his ears pierced. Was glad the tweezers were in the first aid kit!!!

A few years ago, I was the Cubmaster of my son's pack and when he crossed over, I became the President of a professional organization and haven't been as involved in the troop other than doing some teaching... As of tomorrow night, I take over as Scoutmaster. I'm excited, but wish I had more free time to devote. Scouting rocks!

It appears that I will be soon starting an Explorer's Club. This is similar to the Explorer's Post except that it is for the middle school kids. For those that don't know, Explorer's are a part of the Boy Scouts of America and falls under the Learning For Life (LFL) program. It is coed and in the case of my future explorer's club will be very outdoor skill oriented. I have 2 daughters that will be joining it.

I am very lucky in having the EXCEPTIONAL Scoutmaster that I did when was in Scouts. We live in a small town of only 1000 people, but he was nominated for, and received, the coveted Silver Beaver Award by his peers. I never met a man involved in Scouting that deserved it more. He's still here and in relatively good health, although his hearing is shot. We still have conversations occasionally, but both of us have to holler at the top of our lungs in order to make ourselves heard by the other. His son, a fellow Eagle Scout who is now our family doctor and a former Scoutmaster himself, was a young member of our Troop when I was Assistant Scoutmaster. Tradition and heritage......I treasure it!

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The only chance you got at a education is listenin' to me talk!Augustus McCrae.....Texas Ranger Lonesome Dove, TX

I am very lucky in having the EXCEPTIONAL Scoutmaster that I did when was in Scouts. We live in a small town of only 1000 people, but he was nominated for, and received, the coveted Silver Beaver Award by his peers. I never met a man involved in Scouting that deserved it more. He's still here and in relatively good health, although his hearing is shot. We still have conversations occasionally, but both of us have to holler at the top of our lungs in order to make ourselves heard by the other. His son, a fellow Eagle Scout who is now our family doctor and a former Scoutmaster himself, was a young member of our Troop when I was Assistant Scoutmaster. Tradition and heritage......I treasure it!

That's awesome Wolfy! I was present on Thursday night for one of my scout's eagle boards. I got it, and he is very deserving....

Another scouting year coming to an end. Our Pack's Blue & Gold is first weekend in June. My den will be Webelos 2 next year, so we have the option of staying with the old program or switching to the new. We are sticking with the old program, as most of the boys have a lot completed. I plan on doing a few hikes with them this summer. Just because the scouting year is finished, doesn't mean we can't keep meeting or advancing. I'm hoping the majority of these guys continues and joins Boy Scouts.

Upon this a question arises: whether it be better to be loved than feared or feared than loved? One should wish to be both, but, because it is difficult to unite them in one person, it is much safer to be feared than loved.

So I got back from deployment last Fri and came out to a Cub Scout Camp for second and third year Cubs. I had the week off for post deployment leave. This weekend is our Pack's first camp of the year. Ten Cubs last night and twelve tonight. A formal campfire last night. A hike and scavenger hunt and then an active game this morning. A Christmas craft after lunch followed by another hike including tree recognition and tracking. Then they did up tin foil dinners and while they cooked in oven in the camp the kids did fires with PJCBs, shavings and kindling. Their choice of ignition. Supper followed by a wide game and an informal campfire. The head leader had to leave briefly when he was notified his middle child and another girl had gotten lost on a Scout hike. I got the SAR call out the exact same time his wife called him. I had to stay due to leader/Cub ratio. Almost immediately got the call back the girls had walked out. They were supposed to do a 4km hike together with no leaders as a badge requirement. They got into the wrong trail and realized they'd gone to far so started back. They began leaving notes in the middle of the trail with rocks to hold them down with their names and direction. They had whistles and were blowing them. When one girl got cold the other gave her a space blanket. When asked why they didn't stay put they said. We weren't lost. We were on the trail headed back the way we came. It just got dark.The leader was losing his mind and the parents reassured him, no blame. They were okay because of what you taught them.I love Scouting.

Thanks for the report, Yeoman......sounds like the girls were using their heads. Given a little more time, they'd have probably solved the problem all by themselves. I'm sure there were anxious moments for all involved, though!

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The only chance you got at a education is listenin' to me talk!Augustus McCrae.....Texas Ranger Lonesome Dove, TX

Sigh. Seven leaders sitting in the kitchen of the cabin with about 30 Cub Scouts out cold on the floor in the hall. Another 20 up in the other cabin. Second night of our Mine Craft themed winter camp. Compass work and trail signs in the morning, tin foil dinners for lunch, armour/pick axe/sword building after lunch, a quest throughout the whole camp property later in the afternoon, sloppy joes for supper and then a wide game and a camp fire. Kids were beat. Leaders are too. I'm off to my tent shortly. Last night was good, -8C but in a -20 bag. Only -4 tonight.

Sounds about like our bedroom last night. We leave the windows open and the bedroom sealed off with the heat off in winter and it got down to -10F outside last night. Those two Hudson Bay blankets felt mighty good and I don't know what the room temperature was, but I could see my breath this morning. It's supposed to get down to between 15 & 20 below tonite.......might have to close one window.

It really sounds like you're keeping everyone busy and having a good time, to boot. Good on you guys!

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The only chance you got at a education is listenin' to me talk!Augustus McCrae.....Texas Ranger Lonesome Dove, TX

Thanks Wolfy,Kids are up and mostly packed. We just set up the tables for breakfast. Parents will start pickup in a bit over an hour. Man, did I ever perk good coffee today.

I'd sleep in the cold like you Wolfy, but there's that damned getting up in the morning that I'd hate.

Edited to add:At home now, showered and changes and laying out gear to air and dry. Parents started arriving at 9:45 and only leaders kids left by 10:30. Clean up was a snap. We have a full garbage bag full of lost and found items: dishes, mitts, hats, scarves, gloves, snow pants etc. The first Pack will display L&F on Wed, we'll display unclaimed on Thur and the other Pack should claim the remaining. Trick for leaders is to have a packing session for parents before their kids go to camp. Biggest thing to teach them is to have their kids pack their packs (with supervision). That way, the kid knows what they brought, where it is and where it gets put back. Unfortunately, we dropped the ball last week and didn't do this. Sigh, I hate relearning lessons that I should already know. Kids were really happy during the hot wash up at the end though.

Well I haven't been on the site much as I wound up a Cub Scout master this year. It has been a ton of learning but a ton of fun. We just spent the past weekend at Scout Days at Daytona Speedway. Just wanted to let any of you that may have thought about doing this event to try and go. It was a great time and the Cubs loved it. They got to sign the finish line,meet drivers,visit the garages,and the pits. Not to mention watch some cars doing training laps in preparation for the Rolex 24. If ya'll have any questions let me know.

"Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving pretty with a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways in a cloud of smoke, thouroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, Wow! What a ride!" Hunter S, Thompson

Well I haven't been on the site much as I wound up a Cub Scout master this year. It has been a ton of learning but a ton of fun. We just spent the past weekend at Scout Days at Daytona Speedway. Just wanted to let any of you that may have thought about doing this event to try and go. It was a great time and the Cubs loved it. They got to sign the finish line,meet drivers,visit the garages,and the pits. Not to mention watch some cars doing training laps in preparation for the Rolex 24. If ya'll have any questions let me know.

Great to hear from you again Jimmy. Glad to hear that you and little man are having a great time with the scouts. Never been to Daytona Speedway, sound like a hoot.

Sounds about like our bedroom last night. We leave the windows open and the bedroom sealed off with the heat off in winter and it got down to -10F outside last night. Those two Hudson Bay blankets felt mighty good and I don't know what the room temperature was, but I could see my breath this morning. It's supposed to get down to between 15 & 20 below tonite.......might have to close one window.

Sounds about like our bedroom last night. We leave the windows open and the bedroom sealed off with the heat off in winter and it got down to -10F outside last night. Those two Hudson Bay blankets felt mighty good and I don't know what the room temperature was, but I could see my breath this morning. It's supposed to get down to between 15 & 20 below tonite.......might have to close one window.

You need to tell him that it IS a big deal! He is among only 6% of the young men who join the BSA that have the dedication it takes to earn that medal. It's a VERY BIG DEAL! It's an accomplishment that always looks good on a resume and can never be taken away. In a hiring situation, many employers notice such things.

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The only chance you got at a education is listenin' to me talk!Augustus McCrae.....Texas Ranger Lonesome Dove, TX

Wolfy, the reasons you listed are examples of why I think it is a big deal. The adults in the troop tell them all the time, but you know kids. We are just a bunch of old guys.My son is planing to join the military so if I remember right it should get him PFC right out of boot camp.

Once again, my Ship returns from sea and I'm immediately off to Cub Scout camp. This one is called Cubaree and we'll have 108 boys and girls from six different Packs. I'll be running an orienteering challenge. Youth are between 8-10 so it'll be a simple set bearing, pick land mark and pace off till they find the number marker and then write down the code word on the marker. They'll also have a blank map of the camp to fill in. Oh, and the big surprise: each Cub will get their own Couglin's baseplate compass. One of the organizers got them at wholesale price. He knows a guy who knows a guy. Picking up my son now, then home to pack and off we go.

I don't post in this topic much, but after reading that you are doing an "orienteering" class, I would like to ask you to do a favor to the young fellas that will be attending...

The favor:

Keep it simple & get them excited about using a compass & a map,and learning how to keep their head & use simple tools they have available to them to navigate.

Even just how to use an analog watch to find simple N-S headings. How to use the crescent moon & its points to know N-S bearings. Knowing that trees in the N. hemisphere usually have more branches on the South side of the tree where the branches/tree get more sun. How that in most place if you reach a watershed that is flowing like a stream/creek/river.. going down river, that it usually will , even after some time.. lead to a bridge or something that might help orient themselves to human habitation, or if they have a map, help them ID where they are, by the lay of the land..

Oops.. ran on /long post.. Blah blah.. but if ya make them excited about it. they won't forget it.

At least so they can know how to get through terrain with confidence. Be it as simple as following a road map through a section of country, or a city, or following a map showing contour lines , etc..

G'luck & I wish ya & them lil fellers well..

( My Dad, Uncle "Red", & others, taught me well & got me to where I can pick & know direction without compass, even without light, from back when I was a young lad, simply by getting me used to "always" know how I turn & mentally remember my orientation as I made the turns once I remember where I was to start with... Even when blindfolded. Neat trick. I am lucky.. not many have that type of thing taught to them. Maybe you should see how them lil fellers do if they try it... The younger the better... turns into an "instinct". )

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I love being out in the woods! I like this quote from Mors Kochanski - "The more you know, the less you carry". I believe in the same creed, & think "Knowledge & honed skills" are the best things to carry with ya when you're out in the wilds. They're the ultimate "ultralight" gear!

So this is odd/weird/frustrating. Something happened between two kids at camp on the weekend. Their senior leader did all the right stuff: called parents, sent kids home, took statements, reported to Group and District Commissioners etc. She was informed last night she's suspended from being a leader until the investigation is done. Apparently, she left out two steps (that aren't in the leader's handbook). These rules were meant to protect kids, not the bureaucracy! I'm still pissed.

Yeah. Problem comes from Scouts Canada covering up abuse by leaders back in the '70s-'90s. That led to law suits which led to liability insurance which culminates now in $200 national registration fees which go only to supporting the bureaucracy of the organization and paying insurance. The kids get nothing directly for the money. Sigh, I shouldn't post while upset.

I've been at Scout camps the last two of three weekends and am at camp next weekend and the weekend after. That'll be four Scout Camps in six weeks. The week before last the leaders were sitting around the fire having some snacks after the Cub Scouts had gone to bed. The Venturer Scouts showed up (did I mention the snacks). Anyway, nice kids, they'd done well running a project for us during the day and we sometimes need youth around us to keep from getting too carried away. Anyway, during the conversation, between laughs, on of the kids turns to me and asks, jokingly, would you be interested in being our advisor? Kid really didn't know me from a hole in a tent, but he was shocked when all the leaders laughed and then he about fell in the fire when I said yes.See, I became a Cub Sciut leader a few years ago when there was a leadership issue with my son's Pack. He'll start Scours in Sep and I'd like him to be able to do that without me. I committed to Cubs for one more year but stated my intention was to move to an older age group, likely Venturers. Anyway, the Venturers themselves have sped up my plans for me.It's not like being a Sciut leader at all. I just make sure they create a quality program for themselves and stop them from do anything illegal. Should be a good time. Two hats for a year I guess.

Beavers are 5-7, Cubs 8-10, Scouts 11-14, Venturers 14-18 and Rovers 18-26. There are two new programs called Scoutsabout 5-10 and Extreme Adventure 14-17. All groups are fully co-ed.

Beavers is like daycare with cabin camping. They scare me.

Cubs is getting some basics - hiking, putting up tents, camping out in controlled areas, the program is structured.

Scouts is what it is everywhere else. Tent and lean-to caming, packing their own gear, cooking their own meals etc.

Venturers run their own program; they may be outdoors oriented and specialize in an activity or they might be service oriented and do a lot of volunteer work in the community or specialize in a skill like first aid or SAR or leadership.

Rovers are specifically service oriented: camp cooks, camp organizers, first aid or security providers, foreign development volunteers etc. One Rover Crew in Alberta apparently is made up of journalism students and they produce a newspaper.

I don't know anything about the last two programs.

Scouts Canada is bringing in a new methodology starting in Sept. It's called The Canadian Path. The idea is for the programs to be more youth led, outdoors focused, and better comparability and interaction between the sections. It seems to me like they're returning to Baden Powell's intention. I can only assume that there must have been a significant divergence from the original intention if they actually had to recreate the system to include outdoors activities.

As well, they're scrapping the old badge system. Each age section had their own and there were a ridiculous number. Now there will be about a dozen badges with 9 levels to each badge. Kids will start them at 5 or 6 and can progress till they are an adult. For example, the camping badge may start at level 1 with a Beaver who can identify his own sleeping bag. The badge would increase in complexity until a Rover earns her level 9 by organizing and running a one week camp for 200 Cubs. This part of the new program, we are excited about.